The Perfect Man
by Tobiiiaaas
Summary: When a bomb rips through Holby City Hospital, the medics face a desperate struggle for survival
1. Chapter 1

'PART ONE'

Jac Naylor scowled moodily as she scanned the patient notes handed to her by Nurse Tait. Elizabeth was standing next to Jac nervously, worrying about what might come next. Jac turned to her,

"I'm sorry Nurse Tait, was there something else or are you just going to stand there gawping at me?" Elizabeth said nothing but timidly moved away leaving Jac to her thoughts. Jac, meanwhile, was now on the phone to oncology. Five minutes past, and Jac, having accomplished her goal replaced the telephone on its hook. She sighed as the clock ticked on past five o'clock. Another six hours she thought to herself. Jac was doing a double shift as no cover had been able to be found for Sacha. Now over halfway through, the immense workload was beginning to take its toll on Jac as she crossed the ward to speak with Mr. Brown, a patient suffering from chronic stomach pains.

He walked along the corridor suspiciously. Concealing the package he was holding under his arm with a long beige coloured overcoat, he swept around the corner nervously. He was drenched in cold sweat as he carried out his task. Striding past Mark Williams on the stairs down to the basement, he stopped breathing for a second, fearing that he would be caught. He checked all around for any other people and satisfied it was clear he moved on through the double doors at the foot of the stairs. He pushed past a porter hurrying on through the corridor with a trolley laden with sheets. The Porter gave him a dirty look as he scooped down to pick up the sheets that had been knocked over on to the floor. However, he was on a mission, time stopped for no man. At last, he thought as he rounded the corner and came face to face with the door to the basement, the very bottom of Holby City Hospital. He pushed open the door with his free hand and strode inside. Locking the door behind him, he took the package out from under his arm and placed it on the floor. Unwrapping the brown envelope paper around it, he revealed the package to contain a large amount of plastic explosive and wires. Turning to face the generator in front of him, he began to place each stick of explosive onto it, connecting each one with a red coated wire. He repeated the process until all of the explosives had been placed in position and connect the final wire to a timer. He set the timer to thirty minute and pressed start. The clock began to tick.

Jac sat in the staff room drinking a cup of coffee and helping herself to custard creams. Luckily it was Mary-Claire's day off and there were for once some left. Jac found herself smiling as she thought of a comment Joseph had once made nearly a year ago. Mary-Claire definitely had a raging custard cream addiction. The staffroom door swung open to reveal Hanssen standing ominously. Jac groaned. He was the last person she needed to see. Hanssen strode over to her without speaking and handed over a letter. Taking it, Jac gave him a wary glare but Hanssen was unmoved. He merely smiled and walked away, leaving Jac to ponder what the letter was, or who it was from. The envelope was addressed to Jac Naylor, Holby. Tearing it open she took out the letter and began to read. The letter was from Joseph. Jac's eyes welled up as she read.

Dearest Jac,

It has been too long since I saw you and my heart is empty. I yearn for your company, life is incomplete without you. However, Harry has settled well - you'd be surprised how much he's grown these last few months. I am faced with a dilemma, do I come back to Holby to be with you again, or do I count my losses and remain here in the country where I know Harry is safe. Alas, I do not know what to do...

At this point Jac stopped reading and said quietly to herself,

"Typical Joseph, never knew whether he was coming or going." She wiped the tear away from her eye and returned to the letter.

...I have come to the decision, after many long nights of torment, to return to Holby briefly. I am leaving two days after I post this, considering the state of Holby's postal service...

Jac stared at the date on the letter, it was from exactly two days ago, so theoretically today was the day Joseph was due to return.

With complete adoration and love,

Joseph Byrne

Downstairs in the basement, the clock continued to tick. There were now a mere five minutes left on the timer and still no one had noticed a thing. The man had long since departed, for his role in the operation was now complete. The Porter who had been the last to see him, was heading towards the basement with the intention of checking on the generator. Any second, he would open the door and be faced with the full horror of what was only minutes away. The ticking of the clock began to be in time with the marching footsteps of the Porter. He wrenched open the door.

Jac stared out of the window, spotting Joseph's car, her heart leapt. He was here, she thought with joy. She walked briskly out of the staff room and down the corridor past the nurses station where Elizabeth eyed her meekly. Ignoring Elizabeth, Jac carried on with her path and kept on walking. Nothing was going to spoil her mood she thought, nothing in the world could spoil this perfect day. To think she had woken up angry at having had to do two shifts she thought. How insignificant that seemed now when the man she loved had finally returned to see her. How good it was to learn that Joseph still loved her and only her, that no country woman had tempted him away. Probably scared off by his baby Churchill, she laughed.

The Porter stared in wide-eyed horror at the explosives lining the generator. He stood frozen, unable to move, unable to call for help, his arms glued to his side uselessly. The clock kept on ticking, there was a minute left.

Jac glided around the corner and walked straight into Joseph. She stepped back, glaring. Then she put her arms around him and kissed.

The clock ticked on, now only seconds left. The Porter suddenly regained his composure and reached for the fire alarm. Breathing heavily he smashed the glass, sounding the alarm. He turned back to the door and tried to wrench it open, but it was stuck. He let out a small moan as he turned back to the ticking clock, five...

"I've missed you so much," Joseph said to Jac as they broke apart. Jac smiled.

"Where's Harry?" she asked curiously. Joseph smiled back at her.

"He's staying with my mother for the weekend. She offered," he said simply. Jac nodded.

"I see." She took hold of his hand and placed it in hers. "I'm glad you came to see me," she said softly. Joseph looked deep into her warm eyes.

"I couldn't go on without seeing you one more time," he said sadly. The sound of the alarm suddenly filled their ears. "What's going on?" Joseph asked anxiously. Jac frowned.

"I'm not sure..."

The Porter tried one last effort to wrench the door open but it was too late, the clock hit zero and the explosives went up. The explosion, doubled in strength by the generator tore the Porter to shreds, showering the room with his blood and bones. The fire swept through the entire hospital, killing all who came in contact with it, the sheer heat of the flames smouldering their fragile bodies. The explosion was tearing the building apart like it was made of paper. Ceilings collapsed onto floors, floors gave way to the floor below. The Emergency Department was in ruins, staff and patients littering the floor, injured and dead. Charlie Fairhead managed to leap out of the way as a huge pillar came crashing down in front of him. On AAU, Frieda Petrenko and Penny Valentine took shelter together as the ward burned all around them.

"When I say, I wish you die painful death, I was hoping I not be here," Frieda said with a cheeky smile at Penny who tried to laugh.

"What's happening Frieda?" she asked nervously.

"That is obvious, it is bomb," Frieda said simply and without hesitation. Penny whimpered. "Don't cry Valentine," Frieda said, trying to reassure her.

Jac and Joseph could hear the rumble of the flames moving fast towards them. Taking a firm grip upon her hand Joseph led her as far away as they possibly go. There was nowhere else to run. They could hear the screams as the fire soared through Keller and licked up the corridor. Joseph yelled suddenly,

"Get down on the floor!" Jac and Joseph threw themselves upon the floor as the flames roared overhead. They could feel the ceiling collapsing all around them, lumps of plaster smacking them as it fell. The glass in the window smashed inward, showering them in sharp shards. Then the felt the almighty bang as the generator added to the initial blast, the door into the staffroom was ripped from its hinges and crashed down on top of them. They were trapped.

Frieda took hold of Penny's hand.

"Don't worry Valentine, I protect you," she said although she was now barely concealing her own fear. A little away from them, they could see Oliver trapped under a slab of plaster, his arm sticking out uselessly. Penny was panicking. Her baby brother needed her, he could die, she thought desperately.

"Ollie!" she shouted through the thick smoke. Then, the lights went out. They were thrust in to darkness. "Ollie!" Penny screamed.

Joseph awoke, coughing. He tried to force the door off him and Jac but it had been piled with rubble. It was no use, it simply would not budge. He turned to Jac. She was unconscious. He shook her, but she would not wake. He turned her over and saw that she was bleeding from a small cut on her forehead.

'TO BE CONTINUED...'


	2. Chapter 2

'PART TWO'

Carnage lay all around at Holby City Hospital. Everywhere was burning, people screaming, patients and staff lay scattered all over the broken floors, unmoving, dead. Those who had survived the initial blast were trapped, trying to break their way through. They coughed, they spluttered, all around people collapsed from smoke inhalation. Up on AAU, Frieda and Penny were desperately trying to reach out to Oliver. Penny had tears in her eyes, she could see her little brother lying underneath an enormous slab of plaster from the ceiling, she could see a puddle of blood around him and yet despite all her calls he would not answer. Frieda could tell that Penny was distressed and so she put her arm around her shoulder and whispered into her ear.

"Calm..Valentine, be calm. Help will come. We must be calm..." Penny felt herself relaxing slightly but the sight of her brother's unmoving body kept her just on the edge of a breakdown. Frieda gripped her shoulder tightly. "Everything will be alright, you trust me?" Penny nodded, shaking.

"What the bloody hell happened?" shouted Mark Williams, looking up at the burning hospital. Only minutes before the blast he had still been in his office, his breathing increased rapidly as he thought of how close it had been. He looked around. Chrissie had been on duty. Where was she? She must have got out. Please say she got out. Mark began to panic. "Chrissie!" There was no response. "Chrissie!" Mark tried to run back into the building but was held back by two burly firemen.

"It's not safe Mr. Williams. You have to remain outside," they told him. Mark was having none of it.

"My daughter is inside!" he yelled at them.

"We're doing everything we can, please, let us do our jobs." Mark looked up at the hospital again, just as a huge flame roared out of one of the windows.

"Chrissie!"

Joseph tried to shake Jac. She was limp, unmoving. Please don't be dead, Joseph thought desperately. He had to save her, he could never forgive himself if she died.

"Pulse, check her pulse," he said to himself. Joseph placed two fingers on Jac's neck and waited for the tell-tale sign of a pulse. Thump. Thump. Joseph sighed. A strong palpable pulse. Thank God. His elation was short-lived. Checking her again, he saw that she wasn't breathing. Laying her into the recovery position Joseph checked her airway. Something was obscuring it. Joseph reached with two fingers into Jac's mouth and clasped them around the item blocking her airway. He pulled it up out of her mouth and threw it down on them floor. Seconds later, Jac coughed and began to breathe again.

"Welcome back," Joseph said. Jac took hold of his hand.

"I'm lucky I had you," she told him. "Now, how are we getting out?"

"Well maybe we should just wait here for the fire crew..."

"Joseph if we do that, we could be waiting all bloody night. Face it, we're going to have to get out on our own." She winced.

"Are you alright?" Joseph asked concernedly.

"I'm fine don't fuss. Help me get this door out the way." Jac and Joseph heaved with all their might, trying to throw the door off them. They heaved again. This time, the door came loose and clattered to the side of the flame grilled corridor.

"Come on, let's go," said Joseph seriously.

The trauma of watching her brother lie trapped was at last becoming too much for Penny. She wrenched herself free from Frieda's grip and ran out towards Oliver. Frieda chased after her.

"No Valentine you mustn't. Don't be stupid. We must wait for help." Penny rounded on her.

"If I wait too long Ollie will die Frieda! I have to help him." Frieda thought about this. If they waited help would certainly reach them, she felt sure of that. Then again, Ollie did seem to be in a bad way. She sighed.

"Very well, we help."

"Thank you," Penny said breathlessly.

"Hey what are friends for?" Frieda shrugged. They knelt down beside Ollie. "Wake up!" Frieda called to him. Miraculously, Ollie stirred. "How you feel?" Frieda asked. Ollie coughed.

"Drowsy," he croaked.

"You have to stay awake," Penny called in a panicky voice.

"I know," Ollie said.

"I'll be back, I'm going to try to find a way out," Penny told him.

"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere," said Ollie. Penny attempted a smile. Frieda beckoned Penny.

"We go look for way out now, Valentine," she told her authoritatively. Penny stared into Frieda's wide eyes.

"A moment ago you were all in favour of waiting for help, why the sudden change of heart?"

"I thought about my Valentine," Frieda said cryptically. Penny raised her eyebrows. Frieda began to laugh.

"Oh Frieda!" Penny joined in on the laughing. "I never know whether you're joking or not..." Frieda fixed her with a stony glare.

"I never joke Valentine..."

Joseph kicked open the door leading out of Keller, shielding his eyes from the smoke and flames. Jac followed close behind him. As they stepped out onto the corridor they were met with a startling sight. The stairs leading down were blocked by a wall of flames. They were simply impassable. Jac cursed under her breath.

"There must be another way through," Joseph said.

"If there is, it's doing a great job at hiding from us!" Jac replied irritably. "Face it, we're trapped!" They stood watching the flames crackle and spit. For what seemed like an age there was silence between them. Joseph twiddled his thumbs, deep in thought whilst Jac kicked out at the rubble around her. "I am not dying in here!" Jac yelled as she took another kick at a lump of plaster.

"What are you achieving by doing that?" Joseph asked her.

"Personal satisfaction," Jac retorted. Joseph didn't respond. He merely stared down the corridor. Jac realised instantly what he was thinking. "The other stairs."

"The other stairs," Joseph repeated. They ran.

"Preliminary safety checks complete sir," a fireman was telling the chief. The Chief nodded curtly. "Are we clear to proceed with the rescue?"

"Situation is still too volatile. There could be more explosives, we have to hold back until it is certified safe to enter," the Chief replied. Mark overheard the conversation; staring at the Chief in incredulous disbelief he cried,

"Hold back! If you hold back any longer, everyone will be dead and there won't be any need to rescue them!"

"I understand you are stressed Mr. Williams..."

"You don't understand the half of it..."

Frieda and Penny stepped out into a corridor so unrecognisable that they felt shaken to their cores. The smell of death lingered around them. Here and there they could see bodies littering the floor, charred.

"The stench of the dead," Frieda said scrunching her face.

"It's horrible," Penny said. Frieda suddenly stopped stock still. "What's wrong?"

"Something is going to happen..." Penny realised that Frieda was speaking the truth moments before it took place. They began to walk backwards away from the collection of bodies. Frieda put her arm out, blocking Penny from going any further. She stared up at the ceiling and pointed at it. Penny felt her eyes drifting upwards. Cracks were appearing in the ceiling at an alarming rate. Seconds later the ceiling caved in, rubble piled on to the floor all around them. Penny found herself cowering on the floor, her hands covering her head as plaster, bricks and mortar showered everywhere. When at last the chaos subsided, Penny opened her eyes again. Frieda hadn't moved at all. She reached out her hand to Penny and helped her to her feet. Penny looked up at the ceiling again. Where Frieda had moved her to, there had been no collapse.

"You saved my life!"

"The paperwork would have been horrendous..." Penny threw her arms around Frieda, squeezing her tightly. It was a long time before their embrace broke apart. Penny looked all around her.

"How do we get past all of this?" The rubble had piled up on both sides of them. There was no way through. Frieda groaned.

"Some day this is turning out to be!"

Jac and Joseph reached the stairs. Joyously they found it to be passable.

"Come on," Jac said hurriedly. They dashed down the stairs. Approaching the bottom they looked at each other, deciding on which way to take.

"Left," said Joseph.

"Right," said Jac. They looked left. It was too dark to see clearly but Jac swore she could make out flames at the far end. They looked right. It appeared to be clear.

"Right then," Joseph decided. Jac smiled, it was always good to be right. They headed down the righthand side. As they walked down, Joseph turned his head curiously. He thought he could hear the sound of someone shouting.

"What's wrong?" Jac asked.

"There's someone else alive here," Joseph said slowly.

"I can't hear anything..."

"Shhss. Listen." They listened. Then at last, she heard it.

"Help! Somebody help!" Jac looked around, trying to pinpoint where the shouts were coming from.

"Over there, that office," she said, feeling certain. Joseph walked up to the door and kicked it open. Inside a young woman and a little girl were sitting on the floor trying not to breathe in the smoke. They looked up in relief as Joseph entered the room.

"It's okay. You're going to be alright," Joseph said comfortingly. But it wasn't. A horrendous creaking noise sounded and seconds later Joseph found himself trapped inside the office with the girl and the woman, and Jac trapped on the outside. He looked around as the dust cleared. The woman behind him began to gag. Joseph looked down at her and groaned. A piece of metal was sticking through her chest. It was hopeless. He called out.

"Jac! Jac! Can you hear me? Jac! Jac!"

'TO BE CONTINUED..."


	3. Chapter 3

'PART THREE'

"What is going on in there?" Elliot Hope clambered out of his car and stared in dumbstruck horror at the sight of the burning hospital. Then he saw Mark. "Mark, boy am I glad to see you." Mark had once been the CEO of Holby City but had resigned following attempts by Henrik Hanssen to make senior consultants redundant. Since leaving Holby, Mark had taken a trip around the world and had only recently returned at the request of his daughter, Chrissie. Mark tried to smile at Elliot but the feeling of helplessness was overcoming him.

"It's a mess Elliot, countless people are trapped inside."

"Has there been a tally on who's here or not?" Elliot asked.

"Yes, there are still several yet to be accounted for."

"Do we know who the missing are?"

"Most of the patients had no time to escape at the time of the blast," Mark said with a sigh.

"What about staff?"

"Jac Naylor, Frieda Petrenko, Penny Valentine, Elizabeth Tait, Oliver Valentine, Henrik Hanssen and...Chrissie" Mark replied.

"Has there been any word from any of them?"

"No rescue attempt has yet begun, they're still making sure it's safe," Mark told Elliot with a pained expression on his face. "It's been hours Elliot, we don't know if they're even still alive in there."

"We mustn't lose hope," Elliot assured Mark.

"There's so little to hang on to," Mark said emptily. Elliot looked over at the car park, deep in concentration. Leaving Mark to his thoughts, Elliot wandered towards the car park. Something had caught his eye, a car he recognised. He checked. He double checked. It was the same one. Concerned, Elliot returned to Mark.

"Mark, there's somebody else trapped."

"Who?"

"Joseph Byrne."

"Joseph!" Jac couldn't see. The dust and ash had blinded her and she stumbled around the burning wreckage feeling for her way with her arms outstretched. "Joseph!" There was no answer, Jac began to feel isolated. A wave of helplessness washed over her as she tried to move forwards in the dark. "Joseph!" Jac yelled out. "I need you..." The words hit her like a stone. I need you, she thought. She'd never really needed anyone before in her life. Yet here she was, calling for help. Her world had been turned upside down. Nothing made sense anymore. One minute she's an amazing surgeon working in the country's top hospital, the next she's stranded in a dilapidated corridor, blinded by ash calling the name of her lover. Jac screamed. She screamed so loud and for so long it almost deafened her. Her breathing began to sound rugged, laboured. Passing her hands through her long hair, she screamed again. Grabbing tufts of hair she began to tear, ripping sizeable chunks out. As the hair fell on the floor, tears began to float silently down her face. She couldn't see, there was no point in going any further. Jac slid down where she stood until she was sitting, cross-legged on the floor.

"Joseph are you sure?" Mark asked Elliot. Elliot nodded.

"His car is over there. If he's not outside, he has to be inside."

"What's he doing back?"

"The obvious suggestion would be Jac Naylor."

"I see, well that makes sense," Mark said quietly. He looked up at the Fire Chief walking towards him. "Hold on, something's happened..." Elliot nodded again. The Fire Chief had now approached them and taking a deep breath said,

"The rescue operation is beginning."

"About bloody time!' Mark said irritably.

"We are now assured that the area is not liable to further explosions." His message delivered, the Fire Chief turned away from them. Mark and Elliot watched as he gave the signal for his men to enter the burning hospital.

"And so it begins," Elliot said.

Joseph placed a white sheet over the body of the girl's mother. The girl, she must have been no older than eight, was shaking, whimpering. Joseph took hold of her hand and squeezed it.

"Everything will be alright. Trust me, I'm a Doctor..." Joseph told her in a low, comforting voice. The girl sniffed.

"What about mummy?" she asked. A pained expression fell over Joseph's face. For a few strained moments everywhere was silent. Then at last he responded.

"Your mummy was an incredibly brave woman," he said. "I am so very, very, sorry," Joseph continued, his voice cracking with emotion. The girl fixed him with a steely look.

"Is my mummy dead?" she asked in a painstakingly straight voice. Joseph said nothing, he merely put his arm around her.

Frieda and Penny sat next to each other. They had hold of their hands yet they were silent. Frieda looked up at Penny. She looked back down at the floor again. Penny raised her eyebrows.

"Something the matter?"

"No nothing," Frieda replied a little too quickly. Penny jumped on it.

"OK Frieda, what is it?" Frieda groaned.

"What is it with you Valentine and wanting to know my life story?" Frieda retorted. Penny laughed. "What's so funny Valentine?"

"Nothing Frieda, sorry. I'm just concerned about you..." Frieda considered this.

"You are concerned?"

"Yes. You're a friend."

"Very well. I've been watching you Valentine..." Penny looked alarmed.

"Is this a test?"

"No, no test. Just that." Penny looked at Frieda with raised interest. Something had been bothering her for weeks, something about Frieda. Penny had felt herself being strangely drawn to her, in a way she hadn't been with anyone since Scott. As she stared into Frieda's face, Penny felt a sudden urge to kiss her. Holding back this emotion, she stepped away. What had Frieda really meant, she thought to herself. Was it possible that perhaps Frieda was feeling the same way? Penny shook her head forcefully, she had to get rid of these feelings. "What's matter?" Frieda asked with the tiniest hint of concern.

"Nothing, just trying to get a thought out of my head..."

"Right, moving on..." Frieda paused. She looked deep into Penny's eyes. "A thought you say?"

"Uhuh," Penny agreed.

"Like this one?" Frieda reached up to Penny's face and brushed a long strand of ginger hair out of her eyes. Then she leaned up and kissed her right on the lips. Penny didn't think about how to react, she just found herself going with the flow. She returned the kiss which evolved into a full-on snog. They wrapped their arms around each other...

Elizabeth shook rapidly. She looked over her shoulder to Hanssen, lying slumped across the floor. He was unconscious.

"Please, please. Wake up!" Elizabeth said under her breath. They were trapped inside the lift. In some ways it had saved their lives in others it had made things much worse. There was literally no way out. They were going to die here, forgotten by everyone. Elizabeth began to tap at the metal door with her fingernails.

"Please desist Nurse Tait," said Hanssen woozily, standing behind her. "You're making an intolerable racket."

"I'm trying to let them know we're in here!" Elizabeth shouted at Hanssen, annoyed.

"Well, I think a much less aggravating way would be to shout in English rather than scrape fingernails down the door, don't you?" Elizabeth sighed.

"It's not like any one will find us anyway..."

"Never give up Nurse Tait. They will find us."

"I'll believe it when I see it..." As she said this, Elizabeth grimaced, clutching her side in pain.

"Are you alright Nurse Tait?" Hanssen asked in what he thought was a caring voice. He missed slightly.

"I'm fine, must have knocked myself against the side when the explosion happened. Just a small twinge..."

"Would you like me to take a look?" Elizabeth complied. She lifted up her shirt revealing a tremendous bruise on her side. Hanssen peered at it. "Seems to be alright. It's just a bruise." Seeing that Elizabeth was clearly not coping Hanssen smiled. "Everything will be fine Nurse Tait. The rescue team will find us. I am one hundred per cent certain of this. We just have to sit it out for now."

Jac was still alone. Her heart pumping fast. She was a mess. She closed her eyes, blinked and opened them again. Her sight was vaguely returning but all she could see were blurry outlines of the corridor around her. Without thinking she screamed out in to the quiet air.

"JOSEPH!" But Joseph could not hear her. No one could hear her. Jac sniffed the air. Something was hovering in the air. A horrid smell. Not of the dead bodies littering the floors, but of a kind of chemical. Jac's head filled with painful memories...she found herself drifting into a deep sleep. She was in theatre. Joseph was there. He was choking. His eyes streaming. They were sitting next to each other, breathlessly. Jac was confessing her feelings. Joseph staring at her.

"You have to have respect for yourself, before you can have genuine feelings for others..."

"What's your name?" Joseph asked the girl. She looked into his eyes, feeling comforted.

"Jac," she said. Joseph looked briefly taken aback. Of all the strange happenings to date, this was most certainly the weirdest.

"Jac, that's a lovely name. My best friend is called Jac." The girl looked at him again.

"Boy or girl friend," she asked. Joseph smiled.

"Don't be cheeky," he said. Then he sighed. "Girl. My girl. My one true love through thick and thin."

"Is she here?"

"Unfortunately. She's trapped outside as we are in here..."

'TO BE CONTINUED...'


	4. Chapter 4

'**PART FOUR'**

The fire crew walked gingerly through the burning wreckage. They shone their torches all around, searching for any one left alive. Passing over burnt bodies, they moved slowly on through each floor, listening intently for any signs of life. As they approached AAU there was still no indication of any life. A firemen at the back began to twiddle his thumbs. He was a fairly young recruit, thrust into the deep end at his first major fire.

"They're all dead...they're all dead," he said in a nervous voice. The fire chief swivelled and looked straight at him.

"Enough of that talk, we will find them!" Right behind them, they heard a retching cough. "What did I say?" The fire chief shone his torch at the direction of the cough. Oliver Valentine, lying trapped under part of the ceiling was illuminated. "Can you hear me?" Oliver coughed horribly.

"Just about," he said with difficulty.

"Are there any others with you?"

"Just me. Have you found my sister?"

"You're the first." Oliver was panicking.

"You've got to find her, she was here with another doctor, they went through there..." Oliver tried to point at the doors at the far end.

"We'll find them don't you worry." The fire chief knelt down beside Oliver. "What's your name?"

"Dr. Valentine." He winced. "Oliver."

"How are you Oliver?"

"Feeling a little trapped actually..."

"We're going to get you out." He snapped his fingers at three of the firemen. "You three go on ahead." He looked at Oliver. "Your sister?"

"Penny. She's a Doctor as well."

Hanssen and Elizabeth stood impatiently inside the lift. The metal doors were slowly getting hotter as the fire raged closer to them. Elizabeth brushed her hand against them and cried out in pain. Hanssen took hold of her hand.

"I wouldn't touch those doors Nurse Tait, the likelihood of burning is rising every second." Elizabeth tried to hide her annoyance.

"Thank you Mr. Hanssen," she said grimly. Hanssen smiled sardonically. "Oh this is hopeless!" Elizabeth shouted.

"The mouse has a voice," Hanssen said making an attempt at a joke. Elizabeth ignored him.

"How are they ever going to find us!"

"Carry on shouting like that and the whole of Holby will have no difficulty in hearing us."

"My God! Can you stop being such a smart-arse for one second! You drive us all mad! Do you have any friends in this place Mr. Hanssen?" Hanssen was unperturbed.

"I have no need of friends in my job. They only get in the way." Elizabeth didn't give up.

"Any family?" Hanssen declined to answer this. "You've got no one don't you? Not one person gives a damn about you! And I'm beginning to see why..."

"You seem to know so much about my private life Nurse Tait, but personally I prefer to separate it from my career."

"Why are you so closed to everyone?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"I used to very open. Now I'm not." Hanssen displayed a very rare show of feeling. Elizabeth pushed further.

"You can't go through the rest of your life alone. The job isn't everything."

"No, but it's my life..."

Jac shook her head vigorously. She poked at her eyes, blinked and sighed with relief. She could see. Clambering to her feet, she looked behind her.

"Joseph..." She hobbled back to where Joseph had gone inside the office. The doorway was blocked, completely impassable. Jac called out.

"Joseph can you hear me?" At long last, he heard her.

"Jac!? I'm glad to hear your voice..."

"Is there any way I can get through to you?" Jac asked.

"It's tricky, I can try to push the rubble out your way. Stand back." Jac took several paces backwards from the doorway. Joseph turned to the girl next to him. "Keep over there, I'm going to try to break this through." The girl nodded. "Good girl." Joseph stood and aimed his shoulder at the rubble. He rammed it. The rubble shifted. He rammed it again.

"It's working Joseph!" Jac yelled. Joseph rammed at it with his other shoulder forcefully. Part of the rubble gave way and fell out on to the corridor. "You're through!" Jac climbed into the room through the small hole created. "Hello Joseph, thought I'd lost you."

"I'm not that easy to shake," Joseph coughed. Jac eyed him with concern.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, smoke's getting to me that's all," Joseph coughed again. Jac pulled a bottle of water out of her coat.

"Here," she said, offering the bottle to Joseph. Joseph took a deep swig.

"Thank you." Jac gestured towards the girl.

"So, you going to introduce me?"

"Yes of course. Jac this is Jac." Jac gave Joseph a look of complete and utter disbelief.

"I said I didn't believe in coincidence, but this is going too far."

"No it's true, she really is called Jac."

"Holby can be very strange..." The girl attempted at a smile but felt a little intimidated by Jac. Jac saw that she was anxious and looked down at her level. "Hey, it's alright. I'm not going to hurt you..."

"Careful, she bites," Joseph said with a wry look.

"Don't listen to Mr. Byrne, he thinks he's funny. We both know he's not."

"Are you his girl friend?" Jac laughed.

"From time to time," she said. The girl seemed puzzled by this.

"Not all the time?"

"We've had our ups and downs," Joseph said quickly. Jac shrugged, they might as well tell the whole story, it didn't matter after all, she thought.

"It didn't help when Mr. Byrne here quit his job and left Holby to become a GP..."

"I had to put Harry first."

"Who's Harry?"

"My son..."

"By another woman..."

"I can see why you two are together..." the girl laughed. Jac and Joseph shot each other bemused looks. Joseph looked at the girl, something ticking over in his brain.

"Can you breathe alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine." the girl told him. Jac beckoned Joseph.

"She may be fine now but in an hour or two who knows."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do."

"Is there a spare oxygen tank in here?"

"Maybe under the desk. I'll take a look." Joseph moved over to the desk and searched around. It was unlikely that he'd find a spare one in here but there was always a slim chance one would be brought inside.

"Any luck?" Jac called.

"Not so far...hold on, there is something here." Joseph drew the object out from under the desk and held it into the dim light of the fire raging outside the office. Jac and Joseph looked at each other stunned. A small oxygen tank under the desk? Surely the world couldn't get any stranger?

"Do you insist on shutting people out?" Elizabeth was still trying to find out more about Hanssen. But the depressing giant swede remained tightlipped.

"I find that human beings are such disloyal creatures, it's better to keep to yourself than to trust your life to others..."

"But can't you just open up a little?"

"Why should I?" Elizabeth had no answer for this. Hanssen stared into space.

"You've been at Holby a year, yet you have no real life outside your work."

"Maybe I like being mysterious..."

"It's getting old."

"I was brought in to control Holby's deficit..."

"Enough Mr. Hanssen!" Elizabeth was taken aback by her own daring at speaking to the director of surgery like that. "You tower over every one, dictating what they should or should not do. We get that it's your job, but it wouldn't hurt just once to socialise with your colleagues." Hanssen sighed.

"Do you like Cyprus Nurse Tait?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I knew a man who lived there. Wonderful beaches yet still somehow lacking in life."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, you're right. I have a excellent career, but it somehow lacks life..."

Frieda was breathless. She had never felt so happy. Penny looked down at her feet sheepishly.

"Valentine?" Frieda asked.

"This is wrong. So wrong. It should never have happened. What will people think?"

"I don't give a damn how people think of me. Look at my dress sense." Penny suppressed a giggle. "Look into your heart Valentine. What you feel is right, not wrong."

"I think...I think...I love you..." Penny said stutteringly. "But I can't let it happen."

"Why not?" Frieda asked point blank.

"What will people think?"

"They won't care. So you are lesbian now, nobody cares."

"Do you really think so?"

"Well it might take some getting used to but ultimately yes." Penny knew Frieda was just trying to reassure her but it worked.

"What do we do?"

"We together now yes?"

"I guess so."

Jac, Joseph and little Jac sat together in the confines of the office. There was something about little Jac that reminded Jac of her eight year old self. Something fiery.

"Any ideas of what you want to do in life?" she asked curiously.

"I want to make people better..."

"You want?"

"I will make people better."

"Follow your dream then." Jac took her hand and squeezed it. "Follow your dream, you won't get a second chance." Joseph retched. The smoke was beginning to overcome him. Unfortunately the tank they'd found had only enough to share between Jac and Jac. Joseph refused to have any of it, stating that it would be remiss of him to not let a woman go first. It didn't look good. Joseph retched again, then keeled over.

"Joseph?" He began to fit. "Joseph!"

'**TO BE CONTINUED...'**


	5. Chapter 5

'PART FIVE'

Children playing, women laughing, men in conversation. Walking down a long, winding country road, birds tweeting in the sky. The perfect place. A house down by the seaside, painted a creamy white, decorated by rosy ivy. An oak front door opens and there they stand, the perfect family. The man, the woman and the baby boy. An idyllic place. The man, Joseph, the perfect husband...The woman, Jac, the perfect wife...the baby boy, Harry, a perfect baby. Joseph steps forward, sways on the spot. The sky swims in and out of focus, Joseph falls to his knees. He rolls onto his side and stares up at the heavens. Jac and Harry watch over him. The world begins to shudder. The skies implode, the beautiful country retracts. Suddenly he's lying in a fiery corridor, convulsing horribly. Foam drips out of his mouth, thick and gloopy. Little Jac is screaming uncontrollably, Joseph fits further, the sound of creaking metal as the fire roars ever closer. Taking a deep breath, Jac flips Joseph into the recovery position. She checks his airway, clear. Mouth to mouth. Chest compressions. Wait...the agonising wait. Joseph is in the country once more. Walking among the trees, holding Harry in his arms. The sun shining on his back. Snap. He's back in the corridor. Jac pumping his chest with her hands. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Mouth to mouth. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Keep going. Joseph can still hear the birds but cannot fully wake. Keep going. The birds grow fainter, he's nearly there. Keep going. Fainter, ever fainter...gone. Joseph wakes. Jac looks down at his face, white and pale.

"You gave us a scare there," Jac said softly. Joseph moaned, weakly.

"Sorry..." Jac looks up at little Jac. Little Jac had cowered away in fright, her heart pounding fast.

"It's all right, he's going to be fine," said Jac sweetly. "Trust me, I'm not going to let him die." Little Jac attempted a small smile but her lips were still trembling uncontrollably. Jac placed her arm around her and looked deep into her eyes. "It's okay. We'll be okay."

"I want to get out," Little Jac replied in a voice no louder than a mousy squeak. Jac nodded.

"I know, I know." She turned to look at Joseph who was breathing heavily into the oxygen mask left over by Jac. "Joseph?" Joseph pulled the mask away from his face and wheezed.

"Jac?"

"It's not good to just sit here, I think we should get moving." Joseph coughed and too two deep breaths from the mask; the needle on the tank moved to zero.

"We should stay here, if we remain in one place the rescuers will find us." Jac gave Joseph one of her famous exasperated expressions.

"Joseph you are going to be in serious trouble if we stay!"

"I'm just as likely to suffer serious problems on the move," Joseph said determinedly. Jac was adamant that they should get going.

"You can be so stubborn sometimes Mr. Byrne! Little Jac here is terrified, she is frightened out of her wits! There's no more oxygen left so for the sake of her we have to find a way out ourselves!"

"They will come for us."

"Joseph! We can't be certain of that, it could be days before they reach us and you know as well as I do..." Jac paused, choking slightly on her words. "You know as well as I do, that you will be long dead by then." Jac sniffed, and wiped a rogue tear from her eye. "I don't want to lose you." Joseph felt a pang of guilt. Reluctantly he agreed. "Thank you," Jac said.

Henrik Hanssen was feeling off colour. His face was growing pale as the air inside the lift became staler. Elizabeth Tait was slightly better but the effects of the fire were showing its toll on her. Hanssen mopped his brow with his handkerchief which was becoming steadily grubbier. Elizabeth clenched her fist, and with a high-pitched wail kicked hard at the closed door. Hanssen frowned.

"Do you mind, that noise is ghastly." Elizabeth glared. She started hitting at the door again and with each hit she yelled,

"I...want...to...get...out..."

"We all want to get out Nurse Tait, wailing like a banshee won't make it any sooner." Elizabeth ignored Hanssen and stared at the roof. Her eyes fixated upon a small hatchway in the centre.

"Mr. Hanssen?"

"Listening."

"Do you think we could get up on top of the lift?" Hanssen thought about this. He stroked his chin with a long finger.

"I suppose Nurse Tait."

"I thought so."

"The question is, however, how do we get the hatch open?" Elizabeth had a plan.

"Surely you can push it open, you're tall enough?" Hanssen concurred.

"I am as our dear friend Mrs. Beauchamp once said, a depressing a giant swede." Elizabeth sniggered. Hanssen raised his hands up to the hatchway and pushed hard. It gave way almost instantly, showering a highly unamused Hanssen with dust. Elizabeth began to cheer, but a steely look from Hanssen silenced her immediately. "I think it would be better if we made our getaway, don't you Nurse Tait?"

"Yes, of course Mr. Hanssen," Elizabeth said meekly.

"I'll give you a leg up," Hanssen said. Hanssen stooped underneath the hatchway and held his hands out in a cupped shape. Elizabeth placed her left leg on Hanssen's left hand and hobbling nervously she lifted her right leg on to his right hand. Unblinking and unmoving Hanssen held Elizabeth.

"In your own time, when you feel ready."

"Do it."

"Three, two, one, up you go." Hanssen heaved upwards and sent Elizabeth soaring out of the lift and onto the top. "Are you alright Nurse Tait?" Hanssen called.

"Fine, thank you Mr. Hanssen." Hanssen tutted and quickly lifted himself out of the lift.

Jac, Joseph and Little Jac had climbed out into the corridor. Jac held Little Jac by the hand and had her other arm around Joseph who hobbled uncertainly as he walked. It would have been an amusing sight in any other situation but here the situation was proving deadly at every corner.

"What floor are we on?" Jac asked Joseph.

"Going by the small crack in the bannisters, this is the fifth floor." Jac didn't respond to this, but merely snorted under her breath. She had so missed, Joseph's quirky OCD behaviour.

"Five floors to go," Jac sighed. "Better get a move on then, don't know about you but I'd rather not be roasted to death."

"I don't think I can go on much longer," Little Jac moaned. She was finding the slow trek exhausting and her feet ached hugely.

"I know how you feel," Joseph said kindly. "We ca't give up, understand?" Little Jac nodded. "Good girl." Joseph smiled. "Would you like me to carry you a while?" he asked.

"Please," Little Jac whispered. Joseph bent down and let Little Jac climb up onto his back.

"Wrap your arms tightly on my shoulder. Don't let go," Joseph told her. Continuing to use Jac as an aid, they moved on, climbing down the stairs with care. Jac lead the party, scouting the area for the safest route.

Hanssen and Elizabeth stood on top of the lift.

"Did you have any sort of plan as to where we go from here?" Hanssen asked exasperatedly. Elizabeth looked sheepishly at her feet. "As I expected..." Hanssen stopped himself mid-sentence. The mechanism holding the lift had caught his eye as he looked down the lift shaft. "Any good at climbing Nurse Tait?"

"I did gymnastics at school..." Elizabeth said quietly.

"Then you should have no trouble climbing down there." Hanssen pointed at the mechanism. Elizabeth gulped.

"I think so..." she said unsurely. Hanssen took the lead. He lowered himself slowly off of the lift and took hold of the mechanism. He began to climb towards the bottom. Elizabeth followed suit. They kept climbing down although the mechanism was tearing their hands to shreds. Hanssen grimaced with each push downwards. Elizabeth stopped suddenly. Hanssen looked up at her with the faintest hint of concern etched across his pale face.

"Nurse Tait?" Elizabeth could not move. Her heart thumped so loud that Hanssen could hear it clearly. "Nurse Tait...Elizabeth are you okay?" Hanssen was beginning to feel genuinely worried. What happened next, no one could have foreseen. Far below, the fire raged hottest in the basement of the hospital. It crackled menacingly and without warning, a white-hot piece of metal came shooting up towards where Hanssen hung, watching Elizabeth closely. Hanssen was struck in the small of the back, causing him to let go of the mechanism as he gasped in pain. He began to fall backwards as if in slow motion. Without pausing to think, Elizabeth forced herself to slide down to Hanssen's level and grabbed for him with both hands. They touched. Elizabeth leaned out to him, using her legs to keep her balance on the mechanism. As Hanssen hung in the air, held on to only by Elizabeth, she pulled him towards her, straining against his weight. Hanssen made a grab for the mechanism with one hand as soon as he came within touching distance. Taking hold of it once more, he sighed and then looked up. There was no sign of Elizabeth. He looked down. She was hanging with one hand to a part of the mechanism that slowly began to split away from the rest of it. Hanssen reached out with his hands.

"Elizabeth, reach, take my hand," he called. Elizabeth tried to reach with one hand while keeping her other holding the mechanism tightly. It split further, sending Elizabeth further away from Hanssen's efforts to save her. "Elizabeth!" For the first time in his life, Hanssen was scared. Truly scared. He could do nothing. There was nothing anyone could do. Hanssen made one last valiant effort to reach her; he began to climb down the mechanism in the hope that this would bring him closer to her. But he was too late. The section of the mechanism Elizabeth was holding on to, snapped completely. Her screams filled the air as she plummeted into the fire below. Hanssen looked down with fantastical horror etched on his face. He started to hyperventilate, the shock of the event almost crippling him.

Elizabeth Tait lay spreadeagled on her back at the bottom of the lift shaft. Flames licked around her as blood poured from a gaping wound from her head. Her body was broken.

'TO BE CONTINUED'


	6. Chapter 6

'**PART SIX'**

"Clear." Everyone stood back. The car park was deathly quiet, the hospital smoking in the background. The patient obscured as they looked on in horror. The tension mounted as the patient was shocked. Nothing, no output. Heart thumping, Jac Naylor took hold of the portable defibrillator and tried again. "Clear!" Still no output. "Come on!" Jac cried desperately. "Charge again, three-sixty, clear!" Jac checked again, once more the output remained the same. Tears were streaming down her soot-covered face, every inch of her body ached horribly as if every part of her had been whacked with a boiling hot frying pan. Her hands were burnt but she dared not give up, she would not give up. She was still a doctor, and she would save their life. She cried again, "Charging three-sixty, clear!" The unseeable chest rose up as the shock was delivered, Jac checked the reading. No output. Jac stood back, her arms hung uselessly at her side and barely noticing, she let the defibrillator fall slowly out of her hands. It clattered to the floor as a wave of painful emotion showered her. She looked down at the body, unable to revive. She looked up, closing her eyes as she did so. In her head, she could hear a song growing louder and louder, filling her mind. As it grew louder, she found herself quietly singing aloud. "On the hills of fire the darkest hour, I was dreaming of my true love's pyre..." Someone placed a hand on her shoulder, Jac felt different. Then they whispered,

"It's over..."

**ONE HOUR EARLIER...**

"Joseph!" Jac shouted as a new obstacle presented itself to her. Joseph was still a little way behind, Little Jac clinging desperately to his back. As Jac's voice floated eloquently to his ears, Joseph called back.

"I hear you, what is it?" He didn't wait for her reply as moments later they rounded the corner and were right behind her. Jac turned to face them.

"The wall's collapsed in on itself, I can't shift it alone but I don't think you're strong enough." Joseph quietly detached Little Jac from his back and placed her gently on the ground.

"I'm going to have to be," he told Jac solemnly. Hobbling, Joseph crouched down, bending his knees and began to lift the sizeable lumps of wall from out of their way. As if luck would have it, the pieces were relatively light and Joseph was able to quickly manufacture a safe route through. However, he strained on the final pieces, holding his back, grimacing. Jac held him back with her hand and taking a deep breath, finished moving the remaining pieces. Letting Little Jac climb up onto his back again, Joseph followed Jac through. The sight that greeted them was horrendous. Charred carcasses lay in burnt out beds, limbs littered the floor; as she walked through Jac looked down and saw that she had placed her foot in a puddle of blood, garnished with a solitary finger. She shuddered. She shook her foot slightly, before moving on. Behind her, Joseph and Little Jac navigated the ward

"Cover your eyes," Joseph said kindly as he took special care not to step in any of the remains. Little Jac did as she was told and covered her eyes fearfully. At the far end of the ward, Jac wrenched open the door, her eyes widening as the metal handle burnt her hand. On the other side, she shook her hand whilst wincing with the pain. Not able to give up, she decided to grin and bear it. She looked at the way ahead. It was clear.

Henrik Hanssen climbed despairingly down the lift mechanism searching desperately for the ground floor exit. The vision of Elizabeth falling still haunted him. Every time he closed his eyes, there she was, hanging on...slipping...falling, the scream, the dreadful blood-curdling, ear-piercing screech as she fell. Hanssen's whole body shook. His whole life had been turned upside down in one single evening. Then he saw it, the ground floor exit doors. Mercifully they were open, but Hanssen couldn't think why. Perhaps the force of the explosion had blown them open. In any case, what did it matter? Hanssen took a deep breath, calculating the gap between the mechanism and freedom. It was close enough to jump, but mistime it and he'd been joining Elizabeth. He looked down, the fire seemed closer, he could almost feel its heat upon his face. There was nothing for it. He went for the leap of faith. Hanssen leapt. He felt himself soar through the air towards the open exit. Then he began to lose momentum, he felt himself falling, saw the gap to freedom widening...Panicking he made a grab for the ledge, relief washed over him as his hands made contact. He heaved heavily and rolled forwards into the lobby. It was in ruins but thankfully, nothing was burning but yet it smoked dangerously. Hanssen picked himself up, and dusted off his suit. He reached into his top pocket and pulled out a hair-comb. He passed the comb through his hair. Satisfied that he had pulled himself together, Hanssen stepped forwards through the thick black smoke and found himself faced by two firemen manning what had once been the front doors. They halted him. Hanssen gave them a withering look.

"Henrik Hanssen, Director of Surgery," he said in one single exasperated breath. The firemen parted and one on either side they strode out of the hospital.

Mark could see shadows moving towards them. Three people. He turned to nudge Elliot.

"Someone's out," he said, his face hopeful. Who was it? The shadows came closer, Mark and Elliot could just about make out the two firemen but the shadowy figure in the centre was still unrecognisable. "Come on Chrissie, please, please..." Mark said under his breath. But it wasn't Chrissie. Mark groaned as Henrik Hanssen revealed himself. Elliot's elation sank. He strode up to Hanssen.

"Ah Mr. Hope," Hanssen said, his voice hollow, not as eloquent as it usually was. Elliot detected something in Hanssen's speech that shocked him.

"Mr. Hanssen, are you okay?" Elliot asked. Hanssen stared at Elliot with gaunt eyes.

"I've been better."

"Were there any others with you?" Elliot pressed anxiously. Hanssen opened his mouth, then closed it. He sighed.

"It is with the deepest regret and sadness that I must inform you all of a terrible accident..." The watching crowd looked up at him, a sense of dread overcoming them. Hanssen bit his lip. "I was trapped for quite some time with a truly remarkable nurse. Some of you knew her well. Elizabeth Tait." The crowd gasped in horror. Hanssen continued but uncharacteristically his voice was cracking as he spoke. "She saved my life, at the risk of her own." He looked directly into Elliot's eyes. "She fell..." Silence swept over them. Cold, unbearable silence. The silence of humility for Henrik Hanssen. At last Elliot broke it.

"You're the first you know..." he said croakily.

"No one else has got out?" Hanssen asked, surprised.

"They're still searching. So many dead." Hanssen thought fast.

"Who else is missing?"

"Jac Naylor, Joseph Byrne, Frieda Petrenko, Penny Valentine, Oliver Valentine, Chrissie Williams - "

"Chrissie Williams?" Hanssen repeated. Mark looked up at him, listening intently. "That can't be right, she left early this morning...".

"Are you sure, are you absolutely sure?" Mark said fast and furiously.

"Completely. Mr. Williams, Chrissie is not in there."

"Oh thank God. I thought I'd lost her..."

Frieda and Penny could hear voices approaching them. They broke apart. Frieda unconsciously decided to shout.

"Hello, is anybody there?" They waited with bated breaths.

"Can you hear me?" Penny's heart rose.

"Yes! We're in here!" Penny shouted back.

"We're making our way through, just sit tight. Don't panic." Penny glanced at Frieda. Frieda glanced back. They said in unison,

"We're getting out..." They hugged.

He was cackling to himself. Shivering. He surveyed the chaos he had caused and simply kept on laughing. His neck was bleeding, but he could hardly notice it. He didn't seem to care. He stepped out into a burning corridor and began to walk quickly away. He stopped. Staring down at burnt corpse, he kicked at it dispassionately. Then he hurried away...

Joseph gasped for breath. He lowered Little Jac to the floor to allow himself a small rest. Hearing his gasps, Jac stopped. She looked back, her eyes narrowed.

"Joseph?"

"I'm alright. I just. Need. To. Rest." Joseph blinked fast. Then he shook his head, trying to clear it. His eyes felt foggy, the lids droopy. He fought to stay awake but he felt so tired. Jac could see him faltering, she ran to his aid.

"You mustn't sleep. Keep awake, Joseph, do not sleep." Joseph nodded. Then his head dropped. "Come on Joseph! We haven't got time for this, we have to get out now!" She forced Joseph to his feet and beckoning Little Jac they set off again.

He swept around the corner in a trancelike state, the surroundings barely sinking in.

Jac, Joseph and Little Jac walked huddled together towards a corner in the corridor.

He was walking down the corridor into the direction of the fire, although he didn't know it. Then something caught his eyes, three people, a man, a woman and a girl walking towards him. They looked utterly dishevelled. He kept on walking, ignoring them. Jac stopped and stared as he strode past. She grabbed him by the arm.

"Hey, you, where are you going?" Jac felt the man wrench his arm away from her. He spat in her face. Joseph found some new strength and swung his fist at the man, making contact with his face.

"She asked where you were going..."

"That not any of your business!" The man snapped, his voice low and pulsing. Joseph was amazed.

"You do realise you are walking right into the heart of the inferno?" The man said nothing. He merely scowled. Joseph looked at his hand. A small burn grabbed his attention. It wasn't a burn from the fire, it looked like more of a burn caused by a wire. Joseph thought fast. Then it hit him. "It was you wasn't it? You did this..." Jac gasped. The man just smiled.

"You got me. I thought someone would." He grinned and shrugged. Then pulled out a pistol. Little Jac shrieked in terror. Joseph took a step backwards, making sure Jac and Little Jac were behind him.

"Joseph what are you doing?" Jac whispered urgently. "He's a madman!"

"I'm sorry, I can't let you go!" The man raised the pistol and cocked it. Little Jac began to sob.

"Come on now, put the gun down. It's over. No one else has to die..." Joseph moved forwards his arms out in front of him to show he had no weapon.

"Joseph...be careful," Jac told him.

"Wrong! You have to die," the man retorted. Jac stepped forwards next to Joseph.

"Jac, get back!" Joseph said quickly. Jac took hold of his hand and squeezed it, then let go.

"Why?" she asked the man. "Why do all of this?" The man replied by firing the pistol into the ceiling, showering them with plaster. Jac was beside herself. "There is a bloody child in here you madman!" she yelled. The man looked straight at her.

"So. What." Joseph couldn't believe what he'd heard.

"You really don't care do you..."

"Not one bit." The man cocked the pistol again. Little Jac covered her eyes, shaking. She peered through tiny gaps between her fingers. She could see the man pointing his pistol at Jac. She could see Joseph edge in front of Jac, blocking the man's shot to her. Everything seemed to be happening at twice their normal pace. The man's finger moved to the trigger. Joseph saw his chance...

Frieda and Penny were out. Frieda stood detached from all around her as Elliot ran to hug Penny.

"Dr. Valentine! Thank God you're alright..."

"It was touch and go Mr. Hope. Have you seen Ollie?" Elliot nodded and pointed to an ambulance.

"They brought him out five minutes ago. He's being taken to St. James'." Penny sighed with relief. "We're still waiting on Jac and Joseph..." Penny looked back up at the hospital. The sheer magnitude of the devastation was incomprehensible. She gulped.

"I hope they make it..." She walked towards the ambulance carrying Ollie. The doors were still open and Penny climbed inside. She called to Frieda. "I've got to care for Ollie!" Frieda nodded, understanding. Penny turned to Ollie, lying on the stretcher. "Hey, you..."

"You made it," Ollie said weakly...

Joseph leapt at the man, making a grab for the pistol. They grappled tenaciously. Jac made an attempt to help but was thrown back. Joseph snatched at the man's legs, causing him to fall. Then without warning, without any indication, the pistol fired like a whip cracking. Jac closed her eyes, waiting for the bullet to strike her. But it didn't. It whistled past her side. Their ears were ringing. Chaos. Jac looked around desperately. Who'd been shot? The man had already run off. Jac couldn't see anything, the shock of it overcoming her. She could make out a gagging noise coming from somewhere near her. Then a voice shouted. It was Joseph.

"Jac! I need you're help quickly! She's losing too much blood. We have to get her out!" Jac stared in horror at the full reality of the situation. The unthinkable had happened. Little Jac was flat on her back, blood pouring from a wound in her chest. Blood dripped out of her mouth as she gagged and coughed. Joseph was applying pressure to the wound with his hands. Jac couldn't think. She had no idea what to do. Joseph kept applying pressure. Jac regained herself. She knelt down beside Little Jac and took her hands. She smiled.

"You're going to be fine. It's alright...it's alright..." Tears covered her face. "That's right isn't it?" Jac looked up with bloodshot eyes at Joseph. "She will be alright?" Joseph said nothing. Jac's lips trembled. "Why?" she asked the air. "Why?!" Jac was screaming. "Why her? She's just a child!" Jac was hyperventilating. She took a long deep breath. "She's just a child..." Joseph looked up into Jac's eyes.

"I know, it's grossly unfair. We have to focus..." Jac was shaking with anger.

"We were so close Joseph! So close!" Joseph checked Little Jac's pulse. Nothing. He released his hands. Stepping back. "No you can't stop Joseph, you can't!" Jac shrieked.

"There's nothing we can do."

"We have to at least get her out! There's still a chance." Joseph nodded. He scooped up Little Jac in his arms and began to hobble on. Jac put her arm around his shoulder and helped him.

"Help! We need some help here!" Jac was screaming. Joseph carrying Little Jac. They had finally got out. Elliot rushed up to them and stared in horror as Joseph lay Little Jac on the ground.

"Dear lord, what happened?" Elliot asked. Jac whimpered.

"She's been shot...it's my fault." Two paramedics were walking towards them, one carrying a portable defibrillator. Jac snatched it away from then and charged it. She placed it on Little Jac's chest and tried to resuscitate. There was no output...

"It's over..." Jac turned to see Joseph's hand upon her shoulder. "There's nothing else you can do, she's gone..." Jac nodded. Then collapsed sobbing into Joseph's chest. The watching crowd were silent. Jac and Joseph in the centre of the circle, Jac visibly distressed. Joseph holding her tightly.

"I'm so sorry," Jac said tearfully.

"You saved my life Jac," Joseph said. "I would have died without you...Thank you." Jac looked into his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault...you tried to stop him. You did everything I expected of you...and more. It wasn't your fault."

"I was reckless. Her death was needless."

"He could have killed us all. I felt safer because you tried. Thank you." Jac and Joseph were staring into each other's eyes. Their heads moved closer together. They kissed.

"You are the perfect man..."

"We are each of us imperfect..."

"For me, Joseph. You are my perfect man."

'**THE END' **


End file.
